‘The last piece of the jigsaw’: Bond Street station finally opens on Elizabeth Line

Bond Street station will accommodate about 140,000 people a day, with entrances at Hanover Square and Davies Street.
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The Bond Street station on the Elizabeth Line has finally opened, five months after the line went into service.

Transport for London (TfL) said the station will relieve congestion at Oxford Circus and make the area more accessible with step-free provision - boosting the West End in time for the Christmas shopping season.

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The first Elizabeth line services arrived at the station at 5:47am on Monday October 24, with commuters welcomed by a delegation led by TfL commissioner Andy Byford and the mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

The Bond Street station on the Elizabeth Line has finally opened to the public. Credit: TfLThe Bond Street station on the Elizabeth Line has finally opened to the public. Credit: TfL
The Bond Street station on the Elizabeth Line has finally opened to the public. Credit: TfL

Visitors to the station were treated to a live performance by Rosie Graham, who performed a song from the National Theatre’s new musical version of Sleeping Beauty, Hex.

Bond Street station will accommodate about 140,000 people a day, with entrances at Hanover Square and Davies Street.

Train services will run every five minutes and from Sunday, November 6, trains will run every three to four minutes, seven days a week.

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From that date passengers heading for the West End from Heathrow, Reading and Shenfield will be able to get a direct train to Bond Street without having to change at Paddington or Liverpool Street.

Andy Byford, TfL commissioner (left) and Sadiq Khan, mayor of London (right). Credit: TfLAndy Byford, TfL commissioner (left) and Sadiq Khan, mayor of London (right). Credit: TfL
Andy Byford, TfL commissioner (left) and Sadiq Khan, mayor of London (right). Credit: TfL

Speaking at the station Andy Byford, London’s transport commissioner described Bond Street as “the last piece of the jigsaw” in the Elizabeth line stations.

The departing TfL chief said the opening felt “bittersweet” as it was his final day in his role.

“I couldn’t be more proud today on which is actually my last day as TfL commissioner,” Mr Byford told LondonWorld.

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“We’ve worked so hard to get this station finished, we opened the beautiful Elizabeth Line back in May when her majesty the Queen, graced us with her presence.

“And there’s more to come with the join up of the line.”

Mr Byford who is set to return to the USA, where he previously was the president of the New York Transit, said it was an “honour” to have served as commissioner.

“I leave knowing that the two objectives we set right at the start when I joined in June 2020 were to lead TfL through Covid and to get the funding deal sorted which we managed last month,” he said.

“We avoided that calamitous managed decline scenario and we promised we would have the Elizabeth line open in the first half of the year, we delivered that and now we Bond Street opened today just as we promised.

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“I will miss it but I’m equally proud of my tenure, it was the hardest time to have held the position as there was no money, no customers, rock bottom morale and the Elizabeth line being far from complete.

“I’m immensely proud of my team and colleagues, they’re the ones that delivered this.”

Chief operating officer Andy Lord is set to take over his role as the commissioner.

Bond Street station will accommodate about 140,000 people a day. Credit: TfLBond Street station will accommodate about 140,000 people a day. Credit: TfL
Bond Street station will accommodate about 140,000 people a day. Credit: TfL

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m delighted to be here today as the spectacular new Elizabeth line station at Bond Street opens to passengers for the first time.

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“The spacious, stylish and step-free station at Bond Street is a huge boost for our retail and hospitality businesses and will radically improve travel across London and the South East by providing a new link to one of the busiest shopping districts in Europe ahead of the festive period.

“I can’t wait for Londoners and visitors to our capital to experience this beautiful new station for themselves.”

The station has two ticket halls and elevators to allow step-free access.

Since opening on May 24, the Elizabeth line has seen more than 27 million journeys on the central section, and more than 54 million journeys in total.

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